Do NOT make these mistakes in HO CHI MINH CITY

Do NOT make these mistakes in HO CHI MINH CITY | Vietnam Travel Guide

Рет қаралды 50,110

Finding Gina Marie – Travel the World

Күн бұрын

Ep.82 We knew very little about Vietnam before we spent a month there and we made a couple of big mistakes. Before visiting, watch this video to make the best choice about where to stay and visit in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. ❤️
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Chapters:
00:00 - Start
00:51 - Vietnam Cities to Visit
01:26 - Mistake #1
02:38 - Good Decision #1
04:27 - HCMC District 1
04:57 - HCMC District 3
05:31 - HCMC District 4
06:04 - HCMC District 5
06:45 - Mistake #2
10:03 - Good Decision #2
10:56 - What we paid
11:20 - Our Recommendations - Would we return to Vietnam?
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Пікірлер: 205

@FindingGinaMarie 2 ай бұрын

: 🔗3 Coolest Neighborhoods in Saigon Tour: seeyouinvietnam.com/tour-item/the-coolest-neighborhoods-in-saigon/👇👇👇 We have used See You In Vietnam tours in Saigon and Hoi An and have had excellent experiences on every occasion. If you're in either Saigon or Hoi An, we encourage you to use them. We make no money from recommending them, but they are passionate, knowledgeable guides who have put together truly outstanding tours. They'd love your support, and we'd love this small, local business to succeed! ♥-Judy & Kevin

@murab18 4 ай бұрын

You two are an amazing couple. Thanks for this useful information. I have been to Saigon twice but still find this worth keeping in mind.

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for watching, Varun, and for your very kind comment. We have a second video from Vietnam you might also enjoy, and thanks to a lot of helpful and encouraging comments, we rearranged our plans to go back to Vietnam in a month and spend some time in Hoi An, Hue, and Da Nang. We're excited to be sharing episodes from there as well. So if you have recommendations to share, we'd love to hear them! -Judy Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@JuliaGonzalesTravels 4 ай бұрын

Happy New Year! Congratulations on 10,000 subscribers you are killing it!! I love watching your adventures, Safe Travels!

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Thank you so much, Julia! We saw your latest episode from Argentina, and we're bummed to be missing it this year. We had plans to visit Argentina in 2024, but we had to push it to 2025. We didn't originally have Mendoza on our list, but we may need to add it! For folks interested in learning more about food in Mendoza, here's a link to your latest episode! -Judy kzfaq.info/get/bejne/adajn9BqtLeukqc.htmlsi=URyxbrH4OerRMeHt

@JuliaGonzalesTravels 4 ай бұрын

@@FindingGinaMarie Thanks for sharing! Argentina will still be there in 2025 🙂 We are heading back to Buenos Aires this year so I'll have more ideas for when you visit in 2025. Enjoy and Safe Travels!

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

@@JuliaGonzalesTravels Thanks! I've been playing with our schedule to see if I can squeeze something in South America into 2024! -Judy

@owlscoffeecats 3 ай бұрын

😊 wonderful video! Thank you both for showing this. Love how you show about mistakes too or what you would change next time. Many KZfaq videos don't show this😊Thank you both again!

@FindingGinaMarie 3 ай бұрын

Hi Carolann, We try not to sugarcoat our experiences, but we try to have a positive experience if we can. Ho Chi Minh City was hard for us, but we really enjoyed our week in Hanoi. We're heading back to Vietnam (central this time) to see if that resonates with us. Here's our previous video from Vietnam; we'll be back there in a few weeks and we'll be sharing a little more from there. -Judy Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@erinaustin9968 5 ай бұрын

I’m saving this video for future reference! Thanks. Very interesting and common themes for full time travel. Selecting an Airbnb is a gamble for the first visit everywhere. It looked like the weather was a little more comfortable than some times of the year.

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Not sure what happened to my response, but here's another shot at it. We've lucked out for everyplace we've visited, so this was an anomaly. But it does always make us hesitate to book a place longer than a month in case we arrive and hate it. We can put up with anything for a month (mostly!). And yes, we had good weather. It was hot but dry in HCMC, which was nice (it wasn't scalding). It wasn't ideal for Da Nang, but hopefully Central Vietnam will be better for us next month when we visit. And although Hanoi was a little chilly, overall it wasn't bad. It's been interesting to see how mostly kind people have been, which has encouraged us to spend a little more time discovering more of the country. Thanks of course, for watching! -Judy

@crackeds Ай бұрын

Very informative video. Thank you for sharing. Appreciate it very much.

@FindingGinaMarie Ай бұрын

Thank you so much for watching. We have a second video from Vietnam/Hanoi and then several videos from our time in Hoi An, including doing some much less touristy things. I'll include a link to our full series below if you're interested. -Judy 🎥 Vietnam video series: kzfaq.info/sun/PLNT98lWfwdF0w1OZR1ZwgqGRPRMKXZaNB

@portalkey5283 4 ай бұрын

Loved my Hanoi visit last year. Thank you for sharing your experience in Ho Chi Minh, will remember this when considering another travel to Vietnam.

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for watching! We have a second video from Vietnam that we also think you will really enjoy that gives you an overview of our time there and things we think you should know. Also, thanks to popular demand, we're going back to Vietnam next month to experience Central Vietnam and learn more about the people and culture there, so stay tuned for more! -Judy Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@trauden7684 4 ай бұрын

Absolutely come back for another visit. I went in March 2023 and will be coming back again this coming March after Japan. This will be my 4th trip to Viet Nam in the past 10 years and felt like I have not seen a fraction of what it has to offer. You will need at least a month to really hit just some (not all) of the most popular sites. Keep in mind that different regions can have different weather patterns, food and traditions. Even their pronunciation and slang change so much it sounds like different languages. Of all the cities, Ho Chi Minh city (aka Saigon) would be my least favorite. If you must, then stay outside of district 1. Most businesses inside district 1 have moved out in the last few years due to high rent and congestion. My top 3 places not to miss in Viet Nam would be Hoi An, Ninh Binh (Tam Coc), and Fansipan (in that order). Hope you have a chance to come back for another visit soon.

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

I mention it in another post to you, but we're going to find our way back to Vietnam, Hoi A specifically. We spent three weeks in HCMC and a week in Hanoi, so at this point we have some familiarity with Vietnam (we have a new episode coming out on Saturday). But being in the wrong location in HCMC didn't do us any favors, but we did enjoy our time in Hanoi. We'll be in Hoi A for three weeks. We'll be working at least half the time we're there, but it will give us some exposure to an additional part of the country that people have been excited about. We're open to your suggestions about places to see while we're in Hoi An, especially if you have any non-touristy ideas for us! -Judy

@bepbe11 4 ай бұрын

Thank you for your detailed suggestions. Love your channel. New subscriber!❤

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for watching and for subscribing! We have a second video from Vietnam that I'll link below. Our viewers and had so many kind things to say about Vietnam that we are going back there next month to visit Central Vietnam (Da Nang, Hoi An, and Hue). We look forward to sharing more of our experiences. -Judy Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@bepbe11 4 ай бұрын

@@FindingGinaMarie That would be amazing to visit Central Vietnam. My families are from Huế. Hoping one day I would be able to ho back and visit again. Again, thank you for all the tips. You both did an amazing job!

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

@@bepbe11 We are really looking forward to it! Thanks so much for watching and for your kind words. If there are places in Hue we should see or do or places or foods to eat, please let us know! -Judy

@mmaranta785 4 ай бұрын

Great tips!

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for watching! -Judy

@Thomas1980 4 ай бұрын

Super Video! I'm travelling to Saigon next week

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

How great for you! You might want to watch our other episode from Vietnam as well. We also plan to be visiting Hoi An and other places in Central Vietnam in another month or so, so we'll be bringing that episode soon. If you've ever been there and have tips to share, we'd love to hear them! -Judy Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@Thomas1980 4 ай бұрын

Thank you for your words. I'm delighted with the quality of your videos. Great documentaries. I have travelled to Vietnam over 40 times. I know the whole country well. Hoi An is the lantern city.... very kitschy with lots of tourists. I really like this small town. It's a real old town. I always travel to Saigon. I always look forward to the food. Vietnamese food is the best food ever! Greetings from Switzerland...

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for watching! Is there a favorite food or restaurant you recommend? We have a second video from Vietnam you might enjoy that I've linked below. Also, if you have any recommendations for things to do in Hoi An, Da Nang, and Hue, we'd love to hear them. We're heading back to Vietnam in about a month! -Judy Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@theodoreolson8529 5 ай бұрын

Hard to imagine a bigger contrast than Japan and Vietnam. Yea D3 is a nice area and there's the huge AEON mall and it's enormous food court. I've visited Vietnam about 7 times and lived in HCMC for a year. I used to drive to the language center on an electric scooter. It's tough to die in traffic because you really don't get much speed on but super easy to get injured. Vietnam is one of those countries where you need some airspeed before you get there. Just dropping in and rolling with it is the hard way to go. You could have flown to Da Lat and taken a bus to Bao Loc where they grow flowers, tea and coffee. Booking through a Vietnamese tour agency can get you all over the country but the government requires them to parade you through every stone carving, jewelry, and bamboo underwear factory (yes, bamboo underwear). I'm sorry your trip wasn't all it could have been. I hope you'll give it a second chance.

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

You hit the nail on the head for us, Theodore. Japan was such a huge contrast that it played a number on our heads. It was a problem for us to find local food that we felt comfortable eating in the beginning, so we were spending a lot of time at one particular place that worked fine for me, but less so for Kevin. And that gets stressful. And you're also right that it's hard to die, but easy to get injured, and as full-time travelers, injuries are something we worry about. Good suggestion about visiting some other places first would have made sense. People had recommended Da Lat to us, but it seemed a bit complicated to get around, especially with more than just backpacks. Easier once we were in a home base. We definitely should have taken a few more sightseeing trips, but some felt very touristy and we wanted to avoid that if we could have. Being a digital nomad brings its own challenges as well, especially if you're not living the backpacker lifestyle and moving through a country by only spending a few days in one place. We absolutely will give Vietnam another chance. It was such a head scratcher to us that we didn't love it as much as everyone else we'd heard from, so we know that it's worth experiencing again. Thanks so much for sharing your advice and experiences. We have another video from Vietnam coming out next week, in part because there were things we really loved. -Judy

@solo022667 4 ай бұрын

Thanks for the update and all the inside info that i needed. I am just early planning to visit Vietnam late this yr. Thanks to you guys I won't be making same mistake that u guys made.

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

We are so happy to help! We have a video coming out this Saturday and we also decided to rejigger our plans to spend time in Central Vietnam in a month or so from now so we can get a richer experience of the country. -Judy

@solo022667 4 ай бұрын

@FindingGinaMarie can't wait.. I be looking forward to that video. Thanks 😊

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

@@solo022667 If you have any specific questions you'd like us to answer, let us know and if we can cover them in the video after we visit Central Vietnam, we will! -Judy

@Jen-n-Tom_BugetTraveller 4 ай бұрын

Thank you for sharing these excellent videos! I wholeheartedly agree with the valuable information you provide from each district. Your dedication in creating and sharing these videos is truly appreciated. It's a tremendous help for those planning to visit Saigon, Vietnam. We are following you now 🙂

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

We appreciate your kind words very much! This is a travel day for us, but we’ll check out your channel as well. Thank you for following along! We have a first timer’s guide to Vietnam if you want to check it out. -Judy Vietnam Things to Know before you go: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@The-Black-Robin Ай бұрын

Great video 👍

@FindingGinaMarie Ай бұрын

Thank you so much! We ended spending almost two months in Vietnam. Below is a link to our other video from Saigon and Hanoi as well as several episodes from Hoi An, including some really special non-touristy things we did there. -Judy 🎥 Vietnam video series: kzfaq.info/sun/PLNT98lWfwdF0w1OZR1ZwgqGRPRMKXZaNB

@Tatisifetita 4 ай бұрын

Thanks for tips

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for watching, Tati! We have another episode coming out on Saturday from Vietnam AND based on feedback here, we rearranged our 2024 travel to visit Central Vietnam as well. -Judy

@bw5911 5 ай бұрын

Love the tips and the honesty. Btw, I got the travel scale based on your suggestion. It says to keep it level, but that is impossible in a suitcase. What have been your experiences traveling with it? District 3 it will be for me! Interesting about the cooler weather too. thx u

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

Thank yo so much for watching, BW! About the scale, the idea of keeping it level is only meant for when you are using it to weigh yourself. From their website, "Placing your scale on a flat surface as opposed to uneven flooring helps prevent any inconsistencies during the calibration process and subsequent measurements." And yes, one reason we chose Ho Chi Minh City was that it would be warmer and we were visiting in November/December and we didn't want to freeze. It was so much hotter than Hanoi. But fortunately it was dry. We had rain a few days, but it wasn't nearly what our viewers were encountering in Da Nang, etc. -Judy

@davidj7516 24 күн бұрын

Thank you for your time and posting. I'm going to VN in October for one to three months to see if I want to retire there. Thanks again.

@FindingGinaMarie 24 күн бұрын

Hi David, Have you seen our full series from Vietnam? It’s linked below. Have a great trip, and we hope you find a place that is a great fit. -Judy 🎥 Vietnam video series: kzfaq.info/sun/PLNT98lWfwdF0w1OZR1ZwgqGRPRMKXZaNB

@seeyouinvietnam 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for featuring our '3 Coolest Neighborhoods' tour in the video! We're glad that you had a good time exploring those areas. Yeah, Saigon is not as easy to walk around compared to Ha Noi, which makes it a bit tough to take it slow and enjoy the city at your own pace, the city definitely needs a better public transport system. The Mekong Delta and Cu Chi tunnels are awesome to check out, and Central Vietnam has a lot of cool diversity. Let us know when you're planning your next trip, and we'd love to give you some tips to make the most of your time here. Have a great time in Cambodia!

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for watching and for giving us such an awesome tour. We do want to come back and experience more of District 3! -Judy

@seeyouinvietnam 4 ай бұрын

I think it would be a bit unfair not to mention district 2, it's called the expat district due to the huge number of expats living here. But if anyone craves for some international cuisines, this is the place to go. The southside of District 1 is quite hectic though, we don't personally enjoy it very much.

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

@@seeyouinvietnam Thanks for the suggestion. We looked into District 2 when drafting up this episode, but we excluded it because it's farther away from the main sites of the city, lack of nightlife and fun things to do. We did find decent burgers at Marcel Gourmet Burger and a few decent pizza places, but sheesh, ideally people come to eat Vietnamese food! Thanks for your suggestion, and we totally trust your judgment on it; we're basing our opinion on District 2 on what we've read versus our personal experience. -Judy

@seeyouinvietnam 4 ай бұрын

@@FindingGinaMarie The city still lacks nightlife and fun things to do at night. And District 2 is being designed to be a more organized nightlife area in the future. The traffic is also pretty good in the district, making it quite walkable. Do you usually book an entire month at one Airbnb home when you travel to a new city? Moving luggage between different places can be a bit hectic and too much hassle, so staying in one place could make it easier. However, it's hard to get a feel for the surroundings of your Airbnb before making the booking. The surroundings can make a big difference in the overall experience, not just the quality of the Airbnb itself when you are staying for a long period.

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

@@seeyouinvietnam Good to know about District 2. Since it wasn't on your list of "3 Coolest Neighborhoods" and based on our (limited internet research), we didn't realize that it would be a good place to suggest to our viewers. Thanks for clarifying and it's great news to hear. Yes, we try to travel slowly and give ourselves a full month in one country from one home base. We might take a few day trips or a three-day trip somewhere (but that fell apart when Da Nang was flooded). Although the majority of people who pass through Vietnam take a few days in a place and then move on, that's not how we prefer to travel. Leaving HCMC a week early wasn't part of our plan. We had paid for an entire month, but it just wasn't resonating with us. We were coming up on our 40th wedding anniversary and couldn't think of a special place where we wanted to experience it in HCMC. So we had decided to shift to Hanoi to close out our time in Vietnam. Had we gone on your tour sooner, we would have stayed the full month and utilized our learnings of places to eat and experience, but we'd already booked a hotel in Hanoi by then. Especially as full-time travelers, we need some down time and moving nonstop is not something we recommend. And we agree with you about needing to give yourself time to experience a place and that it's more than the quality of the Airbnb. We're going to travel to Hoi An and give that a try for three weeks. It's shorter than we'd prefer, but it wasn't part of our original plan. Based on everything we've heard from our viewers, it deserves some time as part of our travels, so we rearranged our travels to experience it. -Judy We have second video coming out later today about some of our other learnings and experiences in Vietnam. We hope you enjoy it. -Judy

@travelonward1 28 күн бұрын

Great video! Super helpful. I almost stayed in district one but now am so happy to be staying in district 3. Thank you!

@FindingGinaMarie 27 күн бұрын

We hope you have a terrific time! Parts of District 1 are great, but we don't recommend being on the south portion of it. Here is our full Vietnam series if you're interested in it. We'd love to know how you like District 3 when you return. -Judy 🎥 Vietnam travel series: kzfaq.info/sun/PLNT98lWfwdF0w1OZR1ZwgqGRPRMKXZaNB

@travelonward1 27 күн бұрын

I am only staying for a few days so being close to the sights will be key and I feel like you saved me a headache. I’ve watched a few of your videos today and found them super helpful. I will definitely let you know what I think. I’m traveling all over Southeast Asia for 6 months. So the tips are so helpful for me! So thanks again for your videos!

@FindingGinaMarie 27 күн бұрын

@@travelonward1 We are so glad to hear that our videos are helpful. We appreciate that you would take the time to tell us this! We never expected to be on this side of the world for closing in on seven months, but it's been a very rewarding and satisfying experience. Not sure if any of the Asian countries we visited are on your list (Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea), but these all have been impressive as well. We definitely plan to return to Asia and Southeast Asia again soon. The people are some of the kindest in the world. Safe travels! -Judy

@travelonward1 27 күн бұрын

No. I will be in Vietnam. Philippines, Thailand, Bali and Singapore. And I’ve heard about the kindness of the people there. I’m very excited for my trip. Keep making those videos! 😊

@FindingGinaMarie 27 күн бұрын

@@travelonward1 How awesome. Indonesia is high on our bucket list. Our daughter has been to Bali a few times and absolutely loves it! We tried to make Philippines work this year (we ended up detouring back to Vietnam to spend time in Hoi An instead), but since we slow travel, moving around among the various islands is more expensive for us. If you come across a place that you think could work for an extended amount of time, we'd love to know about it. We had looked at Cebu City and Manila, but we weren't sure how we'd feel about a month in them. -Judy

@davesivirn2283 5 ай бұрын

It is large country and there are so many different regions. i personally find central and northern areas to be my favorites. Da Nang, Hue, Dalat, Tam Cuc, ect ect. Go back, you'll love it. I also agree with you regarding tours. But frankly the scooter tours are great, and safer than you think.

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

Hi Dave, thanks so much for watching. Vietnam is about the same land mass as Japan, and there was no way we would be able to see enough of either of them and still get a deep sense of the culture. Vietnam also is more diverse because of all of the colonization and political differences that it's experienced. We definitely want to return to see more sides of the country than our narrow experience, but we'll choose a time when the weather is more optimal for Central Vietnam. I think maybe Kevin could have been convinced, but between the fumes and the headaches he'd been dealing with, it was a bigger lift than what he was willing to do. One of the interesting things we experience as full-time travelers is that sometimes we just need to decompress after we've had a lot of busy travel and Vietnam was just so much different than Japan that the transition was rougher than we anticipated. I think if we'd stayed in a smaller city after Japan, it would have given us what we needed. We've heard great things about Dalat and Da Nang and Hue, and most of those are close enough that you can still have a home base and then venture out for a few days for some side trips. Great comment and suggestions for us! Tam Cuc has not been on our radar. -Judy

@nncadi1 5 ай бұрын

Great video….thanks for telling the truth.

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for watching and for taking the time to leave this comment! We have one more episode coming from Vietnam to close out our series. -Judy

@SOCORROGM 4 ай бұрын

Sounds nice 😊

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! You might enjoy our second video from Vietnam that gives you a little more of what to see and do. It's linked below. -Judy Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@tanphongnguyen9956 4 ай бұрын

As a Saigonese, I appreciated you guys had taken time visited the city and shared many useful information for us. Actually, you two have a very deep understanding of the city more than many foreign expats as well as local residents. Thanks a lot.

@FindingGinaMarie 3 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for watching and for this incredibly kind comment! We have another video from Vietnam you might enjoy AND we are excited to say that we want to spend a little more time in Vietnam to get to know it better. We'll be in Central Vietnam for three weeks. If you have any tips or suggestions about that part of the country, we'd love to hear them! -Judy Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@388_days 5 ай бұрын

Well, this will be interesting. We are staying in almost the exact same location where you stayed in HCMC 😂. We will only be there there for a few days after we leave Chiang Mai so we'll try to make the best of it before we return to Thailand for our epic journey south to Malaysia and Indonesia. We have the same issue with travel planning that you described. We just don't have the time to deep dive on every location, and sometimes you just need time to rest and recover. We are currently doing that in Chiang Mai which has a totally different vibe - much more relaxed. We discovered that hotels in Vietnam may be a better value as they all seem to offer complimentary breakfast which has been really quite good. We are actually planning to return to Vietnam later this year and will probably use hotels rather than Airbnb simply because they have been more convenient. Thanks for sharing all these tips. They are definitely helping us and validating much of what we have learned during our time in Vietnam. Taking a tour is definitely a great way to learn a new city, however, we will be skipping the motor bikes. We are both too risk averse. Best of luck. Maybe we'll see you on the road. Steph&Chris@388_Days

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

Hi Steph & Chris, We wish you the best of luck, and hopefully you can learn from our experiences! Our next video will explain more about food, places to eat, and some other suggestions that will hopefully make it a little easier, but if you're only there a few days, it may not be any issue for you. We are heading to Chiang Mai in a week, so our paths have criss-crossed! Right now, we don't have Malaysia or Indonesia on our itinerary, but we have rejiggered our plans so many times that our heads are spinning! Part of our down time in Ho Chi Minh City was that the gas fumes were getting to Kevin and he was struggling with major headaches/migraines and wasn't really up to a lot of exploring in the beginning as much as we would have preferred. Our hotel in Hanoi was great, but it was much more expensive than our Airbnb in HCMC. I was very close to booking a motorbike food tour, but in the end it wasn't worth it since we had finally found some good local food beyond the small handful of places we already had been visiting. It's always nice to hear that other full-time travelers share similar experiences. We may have different workloads or energy levels, but there are some things we all share, and that's the beauty of building these communities of ours and hearing what other people are doing and learning and experiencing, too. Safe travels! -Judy

@GlobetrotterGranny 5 ай бұрын

HOWDY from the winter storm of Wisconsin! Wish I was with y’all!

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

I hope despite the miserable weather you are warm, dry, and safe and electric and heat are in full force! And yes, it's very hot here! -Judy

@GlobetrotterGranny 5 ай бұрын

@@FindingGinaMarie we are snug as a bug in a rug! All good. Cars, driveway, and walkways are all cleared. Roads are mostly clear as well. Wisconsin is typically always ready for this type of weather.

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

That's great news. Thanks for the update! Sturdy people those Wisconsinians with a ton of grit! -Judy

@Motorallyrider 4 ай бұрын

I visited Hanoi just before the Covid lockdown, staying in the Old Quarter, took a 4-day trip to Sapa, it was the highlight, could have stayed longer. Going back to Vietnam in March for 10 days in Ho Chi Minh City.

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for watching and for sharing your experience. The Old Quarter of Hanoi is great and we could have stayed there longer as well. In fact, we have a an additional video from Vietnam and plan to go to Central Vietnam next month at the urging of our viewers. We're eager to share what we think of it! Have a great trip and let us know what you think of HCMC. -Judy Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@BLTSQ Ай бұрын

May I ask if you need to tip the tour guide after the day walking trip is over? And if so, what would be the appropriate amount to pay? Thank you

@FindingGinaMarie Ай бұрын

Great question. Yes, we tip tour guides in cash at the end of the tour regardless of the country we're in. Vietnam is one of many countries where tourism hasn't fully returned and tour guides have to get extra jobs to cover the gap in supporting their families, so if you can tip, I would do it. We typically will tip 10-20% of what the total tour costs. Not everyone can afford a 20% tip and not every tour guide is worth 20%, so use your best judgment. They will be grateful regardless because some people don't believe in tipping at all. We also tip the driver a certain amount as well (a smaller portion of what we tip the guide). -Judy

@sien-venmenjivar977 2 ай бұрын

I’ve been to HCMC many times and crossing the street always feels like we’re playing froggers. Two tips to cross the street: 1. Find a local and follow them. When they cross, you cross, 2. Proceed at a steady pace. The cars and bikes will work around you, but don’t do any sudden movements that are hard for them to predict. Hope you’ll have a better time next time you visit HCMC! The food there is amazing.

@FindingGinaMarie 2 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for watching! And yes, you are right about how to cross the street. We were indoctrinated last year by the much more dangerous Cairo highways and that's exactly how we did it! Our experience in Vietnam was better in Hanoi and fabulous in Hoi An. At viewers' suggestions, we went back to Vietnam for three weeks so we could explore without the rains. It's a beautiful area and we did some great non-touristy activities there that we recommend! Check them out if you are so inclined. Thanks for taking the time to offer these suggestions and this comment. -Judy 🎥 Vietnam video series: kzfaq.info/sun/PLNT98lWfwdF0w1OZR1ZwgqGRPRMKXZaNB

@AS-iq7sx 5 ай бұрын

Also it was beautiful days in Saigon city

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

We were thankful for only a little rain, but it was very hot, especially mid day! Thanks for watching! -Judy

@estrellafugas5882 4 ай бұрын

Saigon seems amazing but man those were some close calls!

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Hi Estrella, It definitely took a bit for us to get used to Saigon, but we're glad we got to experience it! -Judy

@2010katak 5 ай бұрын

Hoi An is probably a place you would love. I believe Brian and Carrie visited and did a nice video on this city and a sweet 3day cruise in the area.

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

They visited at a later time of year than we did (where the weather was more suited to that area), or else we might have explored there. There were a lot of places that we would have liked to visit, but the weather wasn't cooperative, unfortunately. Thanks so much for watching. -Judy

@2010katak 5 ай бұрын

But they were there before the rainy season, perhaps September I believe

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

You may be right. It seems like the weather was dry and hot for them. I think they waited to be in Thailand until after burn season (so April if I recall correctly). -Judy

@fionafew 5 ай бұрын

I think you should go back. We loved it. We spent 12 days, split to 3N in HCMC, then 2N in Hanoi (we flew up there) did a1N Halong Bay cruise (defo worth it!!). Then overnight train to Da Nang (DO NOT RECOMMEND!!) with 1N in Hue and 4N in Hoi An. It was a fabulous trip and i think we can tick it off, but I'd happily return to see further north and then over to Cambodia.... I do a lot of research before any travels, so we knew what we wanted to see and do before arriving - saves lots of time. Although i usually agree about doing a tour, we didn't for any of our trip and discovered some gems.

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for watching! We have another episode coming out next week from Vietnam. We made a deliberate decision as part of slow traveling to not explore every part of the countries we are in-we travel full time so we can always come back and explore more of the places we love. But we think some of the other parts of Vietnam would have been enjoyable to experience, and we're so glad we carved out a week in Hanoi. We're currently in Cambodia, and we are absolutely loving it here. Before we traveled full time and could plan a trip for six months before arriving, we could have written a book about the places we'd be visiting. Traveling every month while working on a KZfaq channel and trying to make the budget work and the locations and weather all sync is nearly a full-time job as well! But we are so grateful to be living like this! Did you find the gems just by exploring? We love when that can happen as well. In fact we found a lovely little coffee shop in Hanoi (and Ho Chi Minh City) by doing that! We wish that we knew locals personally who could suggest their hidden gems to us so we could have less touristy experiences, but we're also grateful that those tours give us a good foundation for what we can do on our own afterwards. Safe travels! -Judy

@travelonward1 27 күн бұрын

I will absolutely let you know about my trip to the Philippines. I wish I could stay a month in each place as well. I like really getting to know an area. I will definitely be going to Cebu and a few other islands. How lucky are we to see all these places. I won’t be in the Philippines until December. But I won’t forget!

@FindingGinaMarie 26 күн бұрын

Thank you so much, Alexa! We looked at Cebu City IT Park, but we weren't sure if that would even do justice to the Philippines. Have a terrific time! -Judy

@all4fitz Ай бұрын

I toured Vietnam all of last month riding a motorbike through Phu Quoc, Ho Chi Minh, Nha Trang, Danang, Hanoi and the Ha Giang Loop. I can't imagine going to Ho Chi Minh without experiencing the exciting challenge driving my girlfriend around on a motorbike surrounded by thousands of motorbikes and other traffic moving around in all directions with no rules. When you have a motorbike, it doesn't matter where your hotel is since driving to the preferred places from your hotel is part of the fun! You can get a great hotel in Hanoi for less than half of that $70 a night. Don't go to Vietnam without experiencing the mystical and mesmerizing fantasy of the Ha Giang Loop. And finally, Vietnam relieves the stress of spending too much on traveling since everything is so reasonably priced if you go there with Western currency.

@FindingGinaMarie Ай бұрын

We have heard too many horror stories of people wrecking while riding motorbikes, including people who are veteran riders. In part that's due to a lot of novices who probably shouldn't be riding, but they're tourists who don't know what they're doing. So we have no regrets of not experiencing any motorbike rides. Because our location was so unenjoyable in Saigon, we really wanted to ensure we had a great experience in Hanoi. So we opted to stay as close as we could to Hoàn Kiếm Lake, which was a friend's suggestion. Old Town is more expensive than some other parts of the city, but we were extremely happy about the location, especially since we were celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary there. It also was the week before Christmas, which is an expensive time to visit. Our Airbnb in Saigon was around $22 per night, so we knew we could find something cheaper, but getting the location right was most important to us since we only were there for 8 days. Thank you so much for watching and for sharing your experiences! -Judy PS: We have an entire series from Vietnam you might want to watch, including some time we spent in Hoi An and doing some less touristy things. Here's a link to our playlist: 🎥 Vietnam video series: kzfaq.info/sun/PLNT98lWfwdF0w1OZR1ZwgqGRPRMKXZaNB

@all4fitz Ай бұрын

@@FindingGinaMarie That's sooo true about motorbiking. It can destroy a trip really fast. We saw a bloodied Vietnamese guy on the road just seconds after an accident and being helped buy many locals. Reminder that an accident can change your plans really fast. Ah yes, I understand the desire to spend a little more on your stay based on the time of year and location. I did the same thing on a Ha Long Cruise. Thank you for the details! I will check out your other Vietnam videos.

@FindingGinaMarie Ай бұрын

@@all4fitz Thank you so much! -Judy

@mordechai_ben_gershon 2 ай бұрын

Thankyou for your great tips and lovely, relaxed mannerisms. xo. I'm staying with my partner in APR-MAY in Quan (District) 1 [Ben Thanh] on north boundary of Saigon Central Park (D. Le Lai), near Ben Thanh Market. We will probably spend most evenings in District 1 Pham Ngu Lao D. Bui Vien Walking Street, on south side of the park. I am like you, and always usually book a HOHO near beginning of trips to new cities, but after a lot of hassle with a HOHO in Bangkok (took 2 Thailand trips to get it right!) this trip I have simply booked a 1-hr night sights bus tour for Day 2. I'm flying on a budget carrier - Viet Jet - but I got the 2nd cheapest package as it included check-in baggage and paid later for meals and seat allocation - but still cheap. Hopefully this will be my cheapest o/s holiday to date, at age 53! The best aspect is it is a single nonstop flight BNE-SGN, and only 8 hrs. Do you recommend the Cu Chi Tunnels and War Remnants Museum. I didn't realise that HCMC & Hanoi had such totally different climates! (not that I'm doing Hanoi). Any concern that VN is a communist country? Thanks again, beautiful couple. Where in the US are you from? xoxoxo

@FindingGinaMarie 2 ай бұрын

Thank you for this interesting comment and for watching our video! We missed the Cu Chi Tunnels because we were afraid they might be too touristy and not respectful of the war. HOWEVER, it was a mistake. Our favorite guide that did the 3 Coolest Neighborhoods Tour also does a tunnel tour and by the time we knew that and interesting it would have been, we didn't have time for it. We don't make a dime from recommending them, but consider using this tour company. We've gone on their Hoi A tours and they are some of the best guides we've ever had. Small company, but absolutely the most passionate and humble people you will ever meet: seeyouinvietnam.com/tours/ We weren't sure how to feel about Vietnam being a communist country, but what we were told over and over again by locals is that they aren't interested in the politics of their country (after years of being attacked or occupied). All they want is to be able to afford to feed, clothe, and care for their families and are happy with whatever regime allows them to do that with the least amount of hassle. There was nothing we saw or encountered that was a huge reminder that we were in a communist country, with the exception of some small amount of propaganda in the War Remnants Museum. We highly recommend it and actually appreciated seeing history from the other side. It's a brutal reminder that as Americans, there is propaganda, hidden reasons for doing things and lies by our government to keep or instill support about things. It's called the American War there, not the Vietnam War. It was a bit hot there, but there are huge fans to help you cool off. We think it's absolutely worth visiting. In fact, we talk about it briefly in our second episode from Vietnam, which is linked below). Congratulations on getting a good deal from VietJet. We flew them a few times and they are sticklers, so good for you to bypass some of that! We hope you have a great time in Vietnam and would love to know what you think about it when you return! And 53 is a great age for Vietnam! -Judy 🎥 Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@mordechai_ben_gershon 2 ай бұрын

@@FindingGinaMarie thankyou so much for your decent reply, Judy. I'll definitely let you both know how the trip went. xoxo

@FindingGinaMarie 2 ай бұрын

Not sure if you have time to visit Hoi An during your trip, but you might want to watch our video from there that we just finished posting. It is one of the most beautiful cities in Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rZaed9KItuDDmYU.html

@Kyoominenono 4 ай бұрын

all the informations you give are accurate. i just want to add District Phú Nhuận , Gò Vấp to the list .

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for the suggestion. Have you seen our other episode from Vietnam? As a result of such kind people like you, we are going back to Central Vietnam in a month in order to immerse ourselves a bit more in Vietnamese culture. Here's a link to our other episode from there. -Judy Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@EricGraham64086 3 ай бұрын

We stayed in District 1 about a block from Ben Tanh Market and did a motor bike food tour. The paradox of traffic in HCMC is that, it is chaotic but mostly moves very slowly. In my estimation, it is fairly safe (my wife does not agree). I would recommend Sophie's Art Tour which operates in HCMC and Hanoi.

@FindingGinaMarie 3 ай бұрын

Thanks for the recommendation, Eric! I could have been convinced to try a motorbike tour, but Kevin was adamantly against it. And some of those food tours are so expensive considering how cheap food is in Vietnam. And I think your location was much superior to ours. We have a second video from Vietnam and we're also headed to Central Vietnam (Hoi An, Hue, and Da Nang) to experience more of that country to see if more of it resonates. We really enjoyed Hanoi, so we're going to explore more. If you have recommendations for these other cities, we'd love to hear them! -Judy Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@EricGraham64086 3 ай бұрын

@@FindingGinaMarie I just found your channel/site yesterday and watched several videos and read some posts. Really relevant and interesting. Food tours can be expensive, but we enjoy them. The one in HCMC was over the top, we have never eaten so much in our lives. Really liked the medical tourism one, I have been interested in that for a while.

@FindingGinaMarie 3 ай бұрын

@@EricGraham64086 Thank you so much for watching. We are really glad to have you along with us! We've taken a few food tours over the years and they've been good, but we have to balance them against other types of tours. I might have been interested in a food tour of District 1 since that's where we spent the majority of our time. We just weren't keen on the motorbike aspect. We have a video from Serbia where Kevin had hernia surgery if that also is helpful for you. If you have other questions that we can possible answer, we would love to know them! -Judy Surgery in Serbia: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/d5igppVzxt3dd6s.html

@merrillmixer1190 5 ай бұрын

We visited Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue, HoiAnn, and DaNang and would return, especially would like to check out the south. Love the coffee culture. Thanks for the good tips about the tour and best neighborhood in HCMC. A favorite memory is sitting on a 2nd story balcony at a coffee shop and watching the traffic below. I remember when crossing the streets we would cross with others (safety in numbers) and were warned to keep moving forward - don't step backward as the oncoming traffic will see you go around you. I would like to plan a SE Asia trip for a year from now. Happy New Year to you both!

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

Hi Merrill, we do plan to return. It's easier that Vietnam is not in Schengen so we don't have to follow the rules of staying out for a certain amount of time AND it's a good weather destination when Europe is too cold. We would have liked to have visited when the weather was more amenable to seeing Hue, Halong Bay, and Hoi An, etc. One of the challenges of the way we travel is that moving around too much isn't ideal, so at least for Southeast Asia we made the conscious decision to stay in one home base for each country versus exploring the entire country. We didn't love the huge highway crossing because there's also a drinking culture in Vietnam and there's always a concern that people driving may not be in the best mindset for good decision making. Your suggestions are spot on about just moving forward with purpose, which is what works best, as well as holding out your arm and trying to make eye contact when possible. The coffee culture is great and we wish we could have explored even more of it-but Vietnam's beans are Robusto and very strong! I love your coffee shop memory. Those are some of our favorite times! Thanks for sharing it as well as your tips and suggestions. We hope you can get back to that part of the world in 2025. We are in Cambodia right now and absolutely loving it! -Judy

@richardclowes7428 2 ай бұрын

HCMC is a vibrant city for sure. I'd say booking a guide is a must. All the mistakes or bad experiences you guys had could easily have been avoided.

@FindingGinaMarie 2 ай бұрын

Hi Richard, It was a bit jarring to have arrived in Saigon after 40+ days in Japan, and we needed a little bit of time to catch our breath. We don't typically book a guide per se, but we do typically go on tours. Our experience would have been totally different if our 3 Coolest Neighborhoods tour had been at the beginning of our time there versus the end. It wasn't our favorite place, but we did enjoy Hanoi, and we recently came back from three weeks in Hoi An, where we took several local tours to get out of the touristy areas and learn more about the people and culture. We never regret when we make time for those things! Thanks so much for watching. Here's the rest of our series from Vietnam, except for our final episode from Hoi A that will be released this Saturday showcasing some off-the beaten path experiences we had. -Judy 🎥 Vietnam video series: kzfaq.info/sun/PLNT98lWfwdF0w1OZR1ZwgqGRPRMKXZaNB

@kien2023 4 ай бұрын

Chào mừng các bạn đã tới Việt Nam!Các bạn là niểm vinh hạnh cùa đẩt nước chúng tôi! Chúc các bạn hành trình nhiều niềm vui và hạnh phúc....

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Hi Cung, thank you so much for your kind words! We are glad to be exploring more of Vietnam in another month or so. Thank you so much for watching! -Judy

@user-kp3bc9pc5e 4 ай бұрын

Yeah Vietnam is indeed an interesting place. Especially after Japan.. your heads must have been absolutely spinning. How was the air quality in Hanoi when you were there? Some of the days I was in the region I thought the apocalypse had happened and was half expecting people to drop dead in the street. The air quality was unlike anything I had ever seen.

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Hi Karis, you are absolutely right about the dichotomy between Japan and Vietnam throw us for a loop. That was quite a challenge. The air quality was actually a little better in Hanoi than Ho Chi Minh City surprisingly. At the encouragement of some of our viewers, we've decided to rejigger our plans and circle back to Vietnam to spend a few weeks in Hoi An. We have to work around some other travel, so you can look forward to hearing about our experiences there in another month or so. We've got an episode coming out in a few hours from Vietnam to round out the month we already spent there. Thanks for watching and for your hilarious comment. You have a great sense of humor, which is sometimes how you need to approach travel! -Judy

@user-kp3bc9pc5e 4 ай бұрын

@@FindingGinaMarie Absolutely. Approaching travel with a sprinkle of humour is the only way, and I try to extrapolate that out to life in general. What a ridiculous predicament we all find ourselves in and yet, here we all are. I think it is amazing what you are both doing. It really is. Not many people understand the true challenges and blessings that this type of lifestyle brings. Congrats on your one year nomadversary and congrats on the 10K! I have a feeling that somewhere may well pique your interest in a special way this year. Just a hunch! Best of luck with the next leg of your journey! 🤗

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Karis, there definitely will be many places that pique our interest. Spoiler alert: we have absolutely loved Cambodia and can't wait to share Siem Reap with our viewers. And you are right; although we are retired, we are working really hard, but we wake up excited to travel and live this way and share it all with our amazing community. Thank you so much for your kind words! -Judy

@YaflamingGalah 14 күн бұрын

i like your videos they are not from the younger generation thank heavens one question why go to vietnam? whats the selling point?

@FindingGinaMarie 14 күн бұрын

There is a lot to enjoy about Vietnam. We didn't love Saigon, but we admit that the location we were in had something to do with that. There's so much rich history in Vietnam, when you figure out the foods, they are really delicious, and we met some very kind people there. We loved Hanoi and Hoi An and found some non-touristy experiences that really made Vietnam worth visiting. It's also incredibly affordable. Thanks for watching. -Judy 🎥 Vietnam video series: kzfaq.info/sun/PLNT98lWfwdF0w1OZR1ZwgqGRPRMKXZaNB

@mixnmichael1 5 ай бұрын

Why not stay longer? Just curious. Thanks for sharing. I would like to visit. Not sure I could cross the street.

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching, Mike and for the excellent question! We only had a 30-day visa for Vietnam and we also had Airbnbs booked for Cambodia and Thailand (we'll be in Chiang Mai, which it looks like is familiar to you from your old videos), so we didn't have the luxury of staying longer without adjusting a series of travel. We got used to crossing the busy highway and also found an alternate route that avoided the worst of the traffic. We preferred Hanoi, but I think we'll even give Ho Chi Minh City another chance from a different location. We're also very eager to see Central Vietnam as well, but we made a decision last year that if we move after a few days or a week or even two that we can't always get to know a place as well as when we spend a month there and can establish a routine. At some point in the future our travel with slow down more and we'll spend a few months in a place, but right now our bucket list is too long! -Judy

@mixnmichael1 5 ай бұрын

@@FindingGinaMarieenjoy your travels.

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

@@mixnmichael1 Thank you so much! Please do the same! ;) -Judy

@mixnmichael1 5 ай бұрын

@@FindingGinaMarie will do. When my lease is up in May I plan on traveling for a few months anyway.

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

We'd love to hear where you're going and what you think of the places you visit. We enjoy learning from our fellow travelers and viewers! -Judy

@mjlee5617 4 ай бұрын

Allow me to put some light on finding fish and prawns with their head on: to find n select fresh fish n prawns the head must be intact. To select fish we would look at the gills, the redder the better . For pawns the head must be intact and firm.

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Hi MJ, for as much as I want to eat fresh fish, I do NOT enjoy eating intact fish or shrimp! I prefer when a fishmonger or restaurant takes the time to avoid putting heads on my plate! Thanks for watching! Have you seen our second video from Vietnam yet? We're also planning to visit Hoi An and surrounding areas in another month, so we'd love to hear suggestions if you have any. -Judy Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@allthingsreview777 2 ай бұрын

I already made a comment but then I read this. I don’t think people are not taking the time to remove the head, there are people who love whole fish even the fish head and some even the eyes actually.

@FindingGinaMarie 2 ай бұрын

@@allthingsreview777 I didn't mean that the way it came across. My point is that I don't like eating or seeing those parts on my plate, so I get around it by trying to avoid ordering seafood where that will happen. I've been unsuccessful on a few occasions during our time in Southeast Asia. You go ahead and enjoy all the seafood you want; I just adjust my food choices to accommodate what my stomach can handle. I do realize that some people enjoy eating a whole fish or sucking the heads of shrimp, etc. I don't. 🤷‍♀ -Judy

@sirhoopalot1 5 ай бұрын

10:40 is no way a “local breakfast”, lol. I’m not sure how much time you spent or planned to spend in HCMC but you mentioned a month’s rental so I assumed you were going to make it a homebase and make excursions from there which is another mistake. HCMC is a huge, frantic, noisy, typical Southeast Asian capital and may be good for a visit but not to stay in and relax. Since the country is so lonnng, you might have a better experience turning it into a road-trip and venture out into the countryside from the cities. This may mean having to eat food in restaurants without AC and English translations on their menu.

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! When we were walking along the streets of town, we often saw people eating rice or noodles or soup or of course Bahn Mi. So while not the most authentic, the food at our hotel in Hanoi actually was a nice mix between Eastern/Western breakfast. Rice and curry or vegetables were other meals that our hotel offered and always fresh fruit. At our hearts we are slow travelers. We have struggled with moving too quickly and we made a decision last year that we'd try to move around spending less than a month in a place so we can deep dive into the culture and the people and establish some routines without moving around so swiftly. And because we travel full time, we're able to come back easily and see places we skipped the first time around. We weren't sure how well this philosophy would work in Asia. We moved a fair bit in Japan (too much and too busy), so we really needed to slow down in Vietnam. It's worked out well in Cambodia so far, but I agree that there's still so much of Vietnam we missed. And for what it's worth, we ate at many, many restaurants without AC and have no problem even asking for suggestions about food and eating what's put in front of us! Google and Apple translate work very well for us! -Judy Here's a link to the video where we discuss our thoughts on fast versus slow travel: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gth8eq1evZytZHU.html

@vtech920 4 ай бұрын

My brother left on January 24th and plans to live there for a couple of years. I hope he has a memorable experience. Personally, I couldn't handle the road noise, pollution, and the third-world living/lifestyle.

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

There are good parts to Vietnam as well. It was less chaotic in Hanoi and we were enjoying it before we left and also it's why we are going back next month to see what it's like in Hoi An, Hue, and Da Nang. We hope your brother has a great experience, too. We met a lot of people who absolutely love it, so there's more than meets the eye. In our second video from Vietnam, we share some of our other experiences. It's linked below if you want to watch.-Judy Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@4klense 2 ай бұрын

Vietnam offers many different lifestyle. You could live on a budget and deal with all of the nuisance or you could live like a boss. It really depends on how deep you pocket is

@FindingGinaMarie 2 ай бұрын

@@4klense You are absolutely right. And each part of it is very different. Our video from Hoi An shows a much different situation than Saigon. 🎥 kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rZaed9KItuDDmYU.html

@hungnguyen-tr4cn 4 ай бұрын

Not only Hanoi or HCM city but next time you should go to South ofHCM city likeCanTho, Phu Quoc or Cetral VNlike DaNang, Hoi An, Nha Trang and Hue city. Good luck

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Hi Hung, we actually plan to visit parts of Central Vietnam in a month or so due to all the positive feedback we've gotten. You might want to check out our most recent episode from Vietnam. Thanks for the great suggestions! -Judy Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@lostboystravels9141 3 ай бұрын

who was you guide and how can I find him? I'm going in August.

@FindingGinaMarie 3 ай бұрын

Here you go! These folks are straight up super impressive. We know they'll give you a great experience. Let them know you heard of them through our channel. We don't make any money from referring them, but we want them to be successful. -Judy Three Coolest Neighborhoods in Saigon Tour: www.airbnb.com/experiences/866440 Or book directly here: seeyouinvietnam.com/tour-item/the-coolest-neighborhoods-in-saigon/ Here's our other video as well from Vietnam. Also, we're headed to Central Vietnam next week, so we'll have more content from Vietnam soon! -Judy Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@lighteningboy595 4 ай бұрын

It seems that you have not been to Nha trang city where it has got a beautiful beach in the middle of the city, life is quite simple and easy for people who don't want a noisy and busy city or so on

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for the suggestion. We'll add it to our list of places to visit. We actually don't mind noisy, busy cities, but we found it a little harder to eat in Ho Chi Minh City, and our Airbnb housed hundreds of motorcycles. Entering and leaving the confined garage every day was a lot of fuel for us to smell, and that wasn't ideal. but we're looking forward to exploring more of Vietnam in the next month. Did you see our second video from there, which is linked below? -Judy Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@albertlew3752 23 күн бұрын

How how do you find the legitimate tour guide? Are there companies?

@FindingGinaMarie 21 күн бұрын

We are most comfortable checking reviews on Airbnb Experiences and Viator/Trip Advisor. We've had negative experiences through Get Your Guide, but positive experiences through With Locals. We're fairly skeptical about people who promote themselves on Facebook groups. We prefer small group tours whenever possible. As far as Vietnam, we highly recommend seeyouinvietnam.com. The owner, Nguyen, is an amazing tour guide. Thanks so much for watching! Here are links to the rest of our series from Vietnam. Our guides are all listed in the descriptions, but feel free to reach out if you have any questions at all! -Judy 🎥 Vietnam travel series: kzfaq.info/sun/PLNT98lWfwdF0w1OZR1ZwgqGRPRMKXZaNB

@johnkramer5010 3 ай бұрын

I experienced the exact same things as you guys did. Most of our decisions are affected by the internet especially when it comes to visitting a new country for the first time. I decided to stay longer in SaiGon but in the end wished I could have spent more time in Hanoi. Later found out that most of the Internet"s opinions come from Saigon people exaggerating their city and lowballing Northern cities. There were much more things to do in Hanoi and most things were cheaper but the internet said otherwise. Funny enough, I were getting scammed by a shoes-cleaner on the street of SaiGon, thay guy constantly said how Northern's part of Vietnam is a piece of s and gave thumbs down. Then he ended up charging me 200k VND which I think was quite expensive. But hey, like you said nothing was too bad. I would definitely come back and learn from our mistakes.

@FindingGinaMarie 3 ай бұрын

Thanks for taking the time to share your experience, John. We are learning that we have to do more advance research so we have a better experience. We did really like Hanoi! In part our decision was also tied to weather. We knew it would be warmer in November in Saigon, and we definitely weren't prepared for it to be cold still in Hanoi, but it made sense. We are going back to Central Vietnam in a few weeks to see if our experience there will be better. I think our location was a problem, and if we had learned a bit more in advance about where to eat, it would have made things so much easier, too. Hanoi seemed easier and friendlier, but that could have been location or just bad luck during the weeks we were there. I don't want to judge an entire population of 9 million people based on the small handful we met. And some were quite lovely; we just didn't build relationships. Our Airbnb host was a bit distant. However, our 3 Coolest Neighborhoods tour guide has reached out and has been very helpful and kind in helping us to have a good experience in Hoi An. We're excited to give it another shot. In the meantime,we have a second episode from Vietnam you might enjoy, so I'll link it below. -Judy Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@johnkramer5010 3 ай бұрын

@@FindingGinaMarie Thank you, I love all of your videos. If you guys are on T*k**k. Try to see this.girl.travels video about how she will never come back to Vietnam and you will better understand my point. Everybody have their own experiences but what really catches me is the comment section. Just like when I was researching for my trip, most of the comments degrading the North are Vietnamese and they called Northerners with disgusting slur. If I listened to the toxic comments, i could have skipped Hanoi which would be a big mistake.

@FindingGinaMarie 3 ай бұрын

We'll check out her video, John. The comments I've seen have been on Facebook or Reddit mostly. We are crossing our fingers for Central Vietnam. We'll be there in a few days. We've done a bit more research, feel pretty comfortable with the location of our Airbnb, and have more of a handle on things this time around. Plus, we are going to try and meet up with our guide from Saigon, who has a home in Hoi An. Connecting with people while we travel makes such a difference. We've found that happy travels include meeting new friendly people. Especially as full-time travelers, we long to feel a sense of connection. Thank you so much for traveling along with us! -Judy

@thecountrybunkins8896 5 ай бұрын

Train, train, train, bus, bus, bus was our way of seeing Vietnam from Saigon to Hanoi and most parts in-between. We never take guided tours. Research, research, research we spent a month in country.

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching and for sharing your experience. As full-time travelers who also are very busy digital nomads, we unfortunately no longer have time to do deep research on a place before we arrive. We ideally want to spend one month in each city we visit without moving around too much so we can settle in and experience more of the day-to-day life of locals versus a few days in a place and then move on. It's a personal preference, but even when we fully researched when traveling for vacations, we always preferred to hear a local share their insights and hidden gem locations and learn about or taste foods that we might not try on our own. We think guides for a day trip or half-day tour offer great value and historical information that we highly recommend. But the beautiful thing about traveling is that we each can experience it in our own way. -Judy

@thecountrybunkins8896 5 ай бұрын

We visted the same area in Hanoi and that beautiful lake. Very near to where you were there is a show you could have seen that dates back hundreds of years. It's a water puppet show didn't understand none of it as it is in Vietnamese but still an awesome show. We were mainly there to take the Ha Long Bay boat trip. Went for the double overnight, highly expensive in first class but worth every penny. Two nights equals two groups of people to visit with. Oddly enough the reason for our trip to Vietnam was my wife is Korean and has always been told she looks Vietnamese (so after thirty years of marriage I found myself looking at Vietnamese women) and she does. Northern Vietnamese indigenous women. The mountains of Delat was our favorite place to visit.

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

We heard about the water puppet show, and although it sounded interesting, we didn't end up seeing it. The weather wasn't great for Ha Long Bay, but that's another place we want to visit, and we appreciate that meeting people and hanging out is a great way to make connections while traveling. Delat also sounds interesting and with more time, we'd have loved to visit. But it seemed pretty isolated and time consuming for a day trip. We'll need to have a little more time so we can get to know it. Thanks for sharing your experiences. It helps us to know what other people enjoy and to add them to our list of places to visit as well. -Judy

@thecountrybunkins8896 5 ай бұрын

You're welcome 😊 if you do ever go to Delat plan at least a week or more. Delat is where coffee is grown and cut flower fields abound along with many greenhouses.

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

@@thecountrybunkins8896 Thanks for the tip! -Judy

@loveaodai100 4 ай бұрын

Ouch… it seems you spent much time in the less interesting parts of the city in the main. As a New Yorker who has been living here 30 years… for first timers spending about a week to ten days I recommend a hotel along or near Nguyễn Huệ Street (District 1. )If one has about 3 or 4 weeks then a hotel or apartment in Thao Dien district which is home some to some of the coolest places in the city. Definitely go to the Mekong for a one day trip or overnight to Can Tho for a two day trip. Also… take a separate one day trip to Tay Ninh and take the cable car ride up Black Lady Mountain (Nui Ba Den). Also… come in the dry season for much more comfortable weather. Dec-March

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

@loveaodai100 We had many experiences, so they weren't all confined to one small area, but yes, where we stayed wasn't ideal for us. The weather was hot in mid November through mid December and we barely got rain. The weather was worse in Da Nang, so we ended up skipping it. Thanks for these additional suggestions! -Judy

@markbigelow2608 4 ай бұрын

Even Kathmandu has pedestrian overpasses. You would think Vietnam would make over/under passes

@FindingGinaMarie 3 ай бұрын

Hi Mark, I don't know if there are parts of town that have them, but we wished for them, too! There was only one place we saw them, but it was to go over water. I don't know how the government prioritizes spending money, but this would be beneficial and would in the near term create jobs! But they are expensive. Thanks for watching. Have you seen our other video from Vietnam? We're also visiting Central Vietnam in a few weeks in order to see what more we can learn about the country since we felt we got off to a very slow start there. -Judy Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@starslight100 4 ай бұрын

Việt Nam là một quốc gia có nhiều vùng miền cùng với phong cảnh thiên nhiên đẹp , nhiều thức ăn ngon hợp khẩu vị rất xứng đáng tham quan hưởng thu với chi phí bình dân . Người dân cũng thân thiện với sinh hoạt sống sôi nổi có trực tự an ninh

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for watching. We have another video coming out from Vietnam this Saturday. Based on all the comments we've gotten so far, we plan to visit Hoi An in mid February for three weeks. We'd love to hear your suggestions about places to visit or things to do, especially if they're off the beaten path or less touristy! -Judy

@trauden7684 4 ай бұрын

@@FindingGinaMarie February is close to Tet which is the biggest holiday for Vietnamese. It's the Lunar New Year and usually falls between January and February. Many places may be closed and food/hotels will be more expensive. It's great to visit and see how the people celebrate but I don't recommend as a first visit to Viet Nam. I find that March is best since the weather is still cooler across most of the country and prices are normalized.

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

@@trauden7684 Thanks for the reminder. We'll be in Hoi An a few weeks after Tết, and fortunately we got accommodations at a very reasonable price. We've got other plans to work around, so unfortunately, we don't have a wide-open schedule to choose our timing. We're only able to visit when we are because we're still in Southeast Asia and heading back there is fairly easy. Otherwise, we'd have to wait until 2025, but since we're in the area, we figured we'd try it out. 🤷‍♀ -Judy

@danieldankx5001 2 ай бұрын

What's an erb?

@FindingGinaMarie 2 ай бұрын

It's an Airbnb. Perhaps our words ran together. Here's a link to our other episode from Vietnam. We have two more videos from Hoi An An coming out this Saturday and next, where we spent the last three weeks. -Judy 🎥 Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@danieldankx5001 Ай бұрын

I think you were trying to say herb

@FindingGinaMarie Ай бұрын

@@danieldankx5001 If it came out like "erb," that's actually how it's pronounced in the US. The H is silent here. 🤷‍♀ -Judy

@danieldankx5001 Ай бұрын

@@FindingGinaMarie oh ok the rest of the world pronounce it as herb

@FindingGinaMarie Ай бұрын

@@danieldankx5001 Actually, the word herb was borrowed from French, where the h is silent; it was silent in British and American English up to the 19th century, when RP-a specific British English accent-and some other British dialects began pronouncing the h (though the silent h pronunciation persists in some British dialects). The "h" is silent in the words honor, honest, hour, and heir. Here's probably more than you ever wanted to know: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/raqCaM1kldnUln0.htmlsi=NcJszqBsQupg-2w7 --Judy

@GlobetrotterGranny 5 ай бұрын

Traveling in China, I often said that road signs, signals, and crosswalks were SUGGESTIONS! Heck, lanes were SUGGESTIONS! Two marked lanes and three cars across with mere inches between cars! 😂 You have to have balls of steel to drive in Asia!

@FindingGinaMarie 5 ай бұрын

Yes, I have no idea how people even ride motorbikes in Ho Chi Minh City! Interesting that the same issue is everywhere in that part of the world! Thanks for watching, Rebecca! -Judy

@GlobetrotterGranny 5 ай бұрын

@@FindingGinaMarie have a blast!

@thhdhn2 3 ай бұрын

District 4, for rob

@FindingGinaMarie 3 ай бұрын

Our guide was very clear that that was back in the time when the mafia ran that district, which is not the case anymore! -Judy

@bill7016 4 ай бұрын

3 weeks in Saigon and 1 in Hanoi is the wrong way around.

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

We heard great things about Saigon, so it depends on who you ask. We have a second video from Vietnam, and based on all the feedback, we plan to go back and see Hoi An and the surrounding area. If you have suggestions, we’d love to hear them. Thanks for watching! -Judy Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@allthingsreview777 2 ай бұрын

For someone who loves whole fried fish, I’m gonna admit your comments or maybe how you talked about your dislike for a fish with its head still on and eyes looking at you was a little offensive.

@FindingGinaMarie 2 ай бұрын

I'm not sure why that would offend you! We aren't saying you can't eat those things, only that I would prefer not to. Kevin has texture issues with foods like flan or pudding. Everyone has preferences. I don't mind seeing those foods, but I am uncomfortable eating them. I also respect that every culture has its own cultural foods and I am in no way trying to be insensitive to that. I'm willing to try unfamiliar foods, but those are two that I have trouble eating. Thanks for watching and we hope you understand, even if you don't agree! -Judy

@allthingsreview777 2 ай бұрын

I think maybe you need to relisten to your video. Saying you don’t want eyes staring at you is unnecessary as my other comment said some people love the whole head eyes and all. I think the way you phrase it in this comment is more appropriate than how you say it in your video or in your other comment that implies people aren’t taking the time to take the head off. It’s litterally how many Asians cook and prefer their fish. It’s not because we are lazy to remove them. I hope you understand. Thanks I’m just trying to make you aware of something maybe you didn’t think was offensive but may be to some so you can know for next time.

@FindingGinaMarie 2 ай бұрын

Perhaps I should have chosen my words more carefully, but there's also an idea of assuming best intentions versus the worst. We couldn't put out any content at all if we worried about offending people. We always try to do our best. And vendors aren't taking the time to remove the heads. That's not saying they are lazy-we didn't imply that, and I don't think that we needed to give every explanation for why a restaurant makes the choices they do. -Judy

@allthingsreview777 2 ай бұрын

I’ll leave it at this. I personally would want to know when I’ve unintentionally offended someone so I can be more careful next time. That was my intent to let you have an awareness that it did offend someone. And I wouldn’t question that person and say “why would that offend you?” Because people don’t want to be offended but if they are they are and in most cases when one person doesn’t know why because they are not offended they should respect that for whatever reasons the other person is offended and personally instead of questioning and saying that should not be offensive I would just say sorry to have offended you as it was not my intention.

@FindingGinaMarie 2 ай бұрын

But isn't part of understanding knowing why we were offending? We can't expect to do better if we don't know what we did wrong. We admit that perhaps we could have expressed ourselves better in this instance, but we sincerely didn't know why someone would be offended by my personal food choices. We aren't willing to give blanket apologies to everyone who makes a comment on our videos because there are a lot of horrible people that we deal with on a daily basis with some pretty messed up views. We won't apologize for certain of our opinions, especially ones that may offend people who are racist, prejudiced, etc., and because of some of the places we visit, we encounter a lot of those people. -Judy

@eblue25 4 ай бұрын

Sorry, can't stop myself: First world people concerned about third world 'traffic' 😀

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

For visitors to Vietnam, understanding the amount of traffic they will face and how to navigate roads is a concern. There are people who have never experienced it and it can be scary and unnerving. We just want people to be aware before they arrive. Yes there are a lot of other things that will be very different and we try to address those as well. These points are not to diminish anything about what the Vietnamese experience every day. Also, third world has evolved as a term, and Vietnam is not on this most recent list:. -Judy worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/third-world-countries

@eblue25 4 ай бұрын

Well let's not debate over terminology and lists

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

@@eblue25 Then maybe we don't refer to Vietnam as a third-world country.

@terenceinasia1216 4 ай бұрын

Visit a third world country in SE Asis with prerequisites like "No fish with heads, or shrimping looking at you" pretty much says it all...

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Sorry, Terence, there were A LOT of local foods that we enjoyed in Vietnam. It's not necessary to have those things in order to have a good culinary experience. Perhaps you'd get a more rounded picture of our time in Vietnam from our second video and, based on all the amazing feedback we got from our viewers, we plan to go back to see Central Vietnam and give it more of a chance based on some recommendations. We hope you don't think you know us based on one video from a location that didn't set us up for success. -Judy Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@blake1001x 2 ай бұрын

Too fussy to enjoy a trip.

@FindingGinaMarie 2 ай бұрын

Hi Molly, If you're saying that we are too fussy to enjoy a trip, we admit that Saigon did not fit us as well as we hoped. We mentioned that it was in large part due to picking the wrong location. We have another episode from Vietnam that's already aired and we have two more videos coming from Hoi An, which was a great experience for us and we'll be bringing those to you soon. There are some locations that don't work out. After 16 months of full-time travel, we don't think we're too fussy to enjoy a trip.-Judy 🎥 Things to Know Guide-Vietnam: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5h4ird63LmpZqc.html

@alexanderreikreik 29 күн бұрын

why do so many of these SE Asian videos have low-brow trashy western pop-music tracks intruding themselves?????

@FindingGinaMarie 29 күн бұрын

The tracks I picked for this video are more aligned with classical music than pop. KZfaq will block or demonetize videos containing any music that triggers a copyright claim, so most creators pick from catalogs that are specifically licensed for KZfaq. When possible, I do try to match the region of the world. When that's not possible, I try to find tracks that will elevate the content without overpowering it or getting in the way of our talks. - Kevin

@oaklander8765 4 ай бұрын

Communist country .... NO, THANK YOU.

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

You certainly don't have to visit everyplace we do, but we think it's important to understand people from everywhere in the world and how they live. Your mileage may vary. -Judy

@robertjacobs4062 4 ай бұрын

What’s the point if traveling if you don’t experience the REAL opinion of people who live differently than youL @@FindingGinaMarie

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Hi @robertjacobs4062 Not sure if your comment is meant for the original commenter or for us, but it's interesting for us to experience people and cultures different from our own. We know that the American version of history can be manipulated and sanitized and facts left out to put the US in the best light. It's helpful to understand how the US is perceived, and also how other people live and observe the differences (good and bad). -Judy

@ThanhPham-fx6eb Ай бұрын

Tip for crossing street in Vietnam: Many tourist foreigners scared of traffic in VN . Don’t worry about it! The rule to win this fear is keep routin slowly walking when you across the streams of motobike! -motobykers knows how to avoid you themself in chaos-order! remmember do not run and stop suddently , accident immidiatly ! Don’t be affraid off and do it if you want to be safety in the crazy- rule traffic in Vietnam. TIP for save your money when enjoy Vietnamese cuisine : Find the shop sever 1 food that many people comes . Street- food instead of smart restaurants !

@FindingGinaMarie Ай бұрын

We agree with this advice for pedestrians. We learned when crossing pretty dangerous streets in Cairo that you need to walk assertively and predictably. It may still be unnerving, but it's much less harrowing than when traffic doesn't know what you're doing. We are all for street food when we feel reasonably certain that the hygiene is good. It's not always the case, especially in some areas where we stayed in Saigon. We got hit a few times with some questionable food, and it sure puts a damper on travel. But you are right that it's much more affordable and not as authentic of an experience. Here are the rest of our episodes from Vietnam. We ended up coming back for another three weeks after the encouragement from viewers like you. -Judy 🎥 Vietnam video series: kzfaq.info/sun/PLNT98lWfwdF0w1OZR1ZwgqGRPRMKXZaNB

@johnmontana8721 2 ай бұрын

There are many and the most beautiful hotel in front and a block from beach and breakfast included for under $20.00 a night, APUS and GALINA hotel for example, why stay in Air BnB? You guys had been misinformed. Check out all hotels before stay at noisy Air BnB.

@FindingGinaMarie 2 ай бұрын

What's the name and link to the place you are suggesting? We stay for a month and because we work, we ideally like to have a couch, a refrigerator, and room to spread out with a desk or chair so we can work from our accommodations. We also need strong wi-fi for KZfaq purposes. We've never had a noisy Airbnb and typically they are cheaper with better amenities (washing machine, small kitchen, etc.) than almost every hotel option. The location in Saigon didn't work for us, but we aren't typically beach people. We want to be near cultural points of interest as well, but we don't want to be in or near high-priced hotels because that's not the vibe we want, either. -Judy

@vinrod34 Күн бұрын

Not impressed with it.

@FindingGinaMarie Күн бұрын

We had a hard time in Saigon, but Hanoi was lovely and Hoi An was surprising in all its beauty. We are glad we spent a meaningful amount of time in Vietnam and didn’t base all of our experiences from the location we stayed in at HCMC. -Judy 🎥 Vietnam travel series: kzfaq.info/sun/PLNT98lWfwdF0w1OZR1ZwgqGRPRMKXZaNB

@johnmontana8721 2 ай бұрын

You're over paid for everything also you are the first on the KZfaqr complain and worried about the foods when millions vacationers and KZfaqr are bragging how delicious the foods are. I'm so offended when you mislead about "red flagged " on the Vietnam culture foods! They are cheap and the most delicious foods compared to all other countries.

@FindingGinaMarie 2 ай бұрын

We did for food, but certainly not everything, John. We weren't comfortable with some of the more local restaurants as far as hygiene and ended up eating in more expensive places a good amount of the time. We had some stomach issues that made us unwilling to eat from some of the street food places and the very local restaraunts. Had we taken our 3 Coolest Neighborhoods tour sooner ,we would have known about some safer food, and that definitely would have helped. We didn't overpay for our Airbnb in Saigon. We paid $22.51 per night, which we consider pretty reasonable. -Judy Here are our other videos from Vietnam, including our first episode from Hoi An, which aired this past Saturday. 🎥 Vietnam video series: kzfaq.info/sun/PLNT98lWfwdF0w1OZR1ZwgqGRPRMKXZaNB

@robertnew4568 4 ай бұрын

Did you get anything stolen in Vietnam? Victim of any SCAMS in this “wonderful” country? Next time try Thailand!

@FindingGinaMarie 4 ай бұрын

Hi Robert, we had nothing stolen in Vietnam, despite being there an entire month. We actually plan to visit Central Vietnam in about a month, but first we are headed to Chiang Mai. So many people adore Vietnam, and since we really enjoyed Hanoi, we want to give Hoi An and the surrounding area a try. We weren't scammed and overall had a decent experience. Ho Chi Minh City wasn't our favorite, but not for any of the reasons you are mentioning. We would have preferred staying in another part of town than where we were located, and we mention that in our video. We try not to compare countries against each other because each has its own culture and history. But we are looking forward to seeing what Thailand has to offer. -Judy